U.S. patent number 5,659,979 [Application Number 08/323,871] was granted by the patent office on 1997-08-26 for transparent footwear with interchangeable tongue and insole and kit therefore.
Invention is credited to Steve Sileo.
United States Patent |
5,659,979 |
Sileo |
August 26, 1997 |
Transparent footwear with interchangeable tongue and insole and kit
therefore
Abstract
In a pair of laced footwear, each item of footwear includes a
sole and an upper which are formed from a transparent material. The
footwear includes a tongue and insole which are removably assembled
to the footwear and which are provided with non-transparent indicia
consisting of a solid color or a suitable design or pattern which
will be clearly visible through the footwear when the insole and
tongue are assembled thereto. The indicia on opposite surfaces of
the tongue may be different from each other, yet may be the same as
the indicia on opposite surfaces of the insole. A shoelace for
tightening the footwear around the foot of a wearer includes
indicia which may or may not be the same as the indicia on at least
one of the surfaces of the tongue or insole. Convenient packages
consisting of two tongues, two insoles and two shoelaces having
coordinating indicia may be made available for changing the
appearance of the footwear to achieve a desired look.
Inventors: |
Sileo; Steve (Edison, NJ) |
Family
ID: |
22375540 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/323,871 |
Filed: |
October 17, 1994 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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117923 |
Sep 7, 1993 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
36/54; 206/223;
36/100 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B
1/0072 (20130101); A43B 3/00 (20130101); A43B
3/24 (20130101); A43B 23/26 (20130101); A43D
999/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A43B
23/26 (20060101); A43B 3/00 (20060101); A43B
23/00 (20060101); A43B 3/24 (20060101); A43B
023/26 (); A43B 003/24 (); B65D 069/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;36/45,54,100,101,50.1,112,25R,136 ;206/278,223 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Dayoan; B.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lerner, David, Littenberg, Krumholz
& Mentlik
Parent Case Text
This is a continuation, of application Ser. No. 08/117,923 filed
Sep. 7, 1993, abandoned.
Claims
We claim:
1. A pair of footwear comprising
a right item of footwear shaped to fit a right foot and a left item
of footwear shaped to fit a left foot, each of said right and left
items of footwear having a transparent upper and a sole connected
to said upper,
a tongue for each of said items of footwear, said tongue having
opposed front and back surfaces and mounting means for removably
mounting said tongue to said upper in a first position with said
front surface facing away from said sole and said back surface
facing toward said sole and in a second position with said front
surface facing toward said sole and said back surface facing away
from said sole,
non-transparent indicia formed on said front and back surfaces of
said tongue,
an insole for each of said items of footwear, said insole having
opposed top and bottom surfaces and being removably insertable
within one of said uppers in a first use position with said top
surface facing away from said sole and said bottom surface facing
toward said sole and within another one of said uppers in a second
use position with said top surface facing toward said sole and said
bottom surface facing away from said sole, and
non-transparent indicia formed on said top and bottom surfaces of
said insole,
wherein said mounting means includes a hook member connected to an
attachment end of said tongue and a receiving aperture formed in
said upper, said receiving aperture being sized and shaped for
removably receiving said hook member in assembled position.
2. A pair of footwear, comprising
a right item of footwear shaped to fit a right foot and a left item
of footwear shaped to fit a left foot, each of said right and left
items of footwear having a transparent upper and a sole connected
to said upper,
a tongue for each of said items of footwear, said tongue having
opposed front and back surfaces and mounting means for removably
mounting said tongue to said upper in a first position with said
front surface facing away from said sole and said back surface
facing toward said sole and in a second position with said front
surface facing toward said sole and said back surface facing away
from said sole,
non-transparent indicia formed on said front and back surfaces of
said tongue,
an insole for each of said items of footwear, said insole having
opposed top and bottom surfaces and being removably insertable
within one of said uppers in a first use position with said top
surface facing away from said sole and said bottom surface facing
toward said sole and within another one of said uppers in a second
use position with said top surface facing toward said sole and said
bottom surface facing away from said sole,
non-transparent indicia formed on said top and bottom surfaces of
said insole, and
a plurality of opposed lacing eyelets formed on said upper, a
receiving cavity formed in said upper at one end of said plurality
of opposed lacing eyelets and a lace threaded through said
plurality of opposed lacing eyelets, wherein said mounting means
includes a mounting member fixedly connected to an attachment end
of said tongue and receivable within said receiving cavity in
assembled position, said mounting member including a pair of
opposed extensions projecting outwardly from said receiving cavity
in said assembled position of said mounting member.
3. A packaged kit for decorating items of footwear having an upper
and a sole connected to the upper, said kit comprising
a tongue for each item of footwear, said tongue having opposed
front and back surfaces and mounting means for removably mounting
said tongue to the upper in a first position with said front
surface facing away from the sole and said back surface facing
toward the sole and in a second position with said front surface
facing toward the sole and said back surface facing away from the
sole,
an insole for each item of footwear, said insole being removably
insertable in a use position within the uppers and having a top
surface facing away from the sole and a bottom surface facing
toward the sole in said use position in one of the items of
footwear, said top surface facing toward the sole and said bottom
surface facing away from the sole in said use position in another
one of the items of footwear, and
a package,
said tongues and said insoles being contained in said package
separately from said items of footwear.
4. The kit as claimed in claim 3, further comprising first
non-transparent indicia formed on said front surfaces of said
tongues and second non-transparent indicia different from said
first non-transparent indicia formed on said back surfaces of said
tongues.
5. The kit as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first and second
non-transparent indicia comprise different colors.
6. The kit as claimed in claim 4, further comprising third
non-transparent indicia formed on said top surfaces of said insoles
and fourth non-transparent indicia different from said third
non-transparent indicia formed on said bottom surfaces of said
insoles.
7. The kit as claimed in claim 6, wherein said first indicia is the
same as said fourth indicia and said second indicia is the same as
said third indicia.
8. The kit as claimed in claim 6, wherein each upper of the items
of footwear includes a plurality of opposed lacing eyelets, said
kit further comprising a lace for each item of footwear including
fifth indicia for threaded engagement through the plurality of
opposed lacing eyelets.
9. The kit as claimed in claim 8, wherein said fifth indicia is
selected from the group consisting of said first and second
indicia.
10. The kit as claimed in claim 3, wherein each upper of the items
of footwear includes a plurality of opposed lacing eyelets, said
kit further comprising a lace for each item of footwear for
threaded engagement through the plurality of opposed lacing
eyelets.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to footwear, and more
particularly to transparent footwear, the appearance of which can
be altered to achieve different aesthetic affects. Still more
particularly, the present invention relates to transparent footwear
having a tongue and insole which include non-transparent indicia
and which can be removed and either reversed or replaced with a
different tongue and insole to change the overall aesthetic
appearance of the footwear.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In recent years, footwear has received greater attention as an
increasingly important fashion accessory. Nowhere is this more
apparent than in the sneaker industry which has rapidly evolved
from the traditional white or black canvas high top or low cut
sneaker to now include a staggering array of styles, designs,
colors and materials. The widespread availability of different
styles, designs and colors now enables people, particularly
children, teenagers and young adults, to make a fashion statement
by coordinating their sneakers with the rest of their clothing.
Because of this, it is not uncommon for one person to own several
different pairs of sneakers to be worn on different occasions and
with different outfits.
One drawback to this desire to own many different pairs of sneakers
is cost. In this regard, the availability of sneakers in a wide
range of styles, designs and colors and their increased popularity
have driven up the price of sneakers substantially. This, in
combination with the desire to have several pairs of sneakers, has
placed a significant financial burden on purchasers.
A similar situation exists in the context of women's shoes, where
women find it important to have a pair of shoes to match each of
their outfits. Attempts have been made in the past to diminish the
cost impact of this need by providing transparent footwear having
inserts which can be changed to match the particular outfit being
worn.
One such effort is documented in U.S. Pat. No. 2,887,792 to Staff.
This patent is directed to a pair of transparent plastic women's
pumps having a removable insert which is colored or textured to
match the ensemble being worn. The insert is positioned behind a
transparent vamp so that its color or design is clearly visible. In
addition to the vamp, the heel of the shoe is also formed from a
transparent material, although the outer sole and inner sole are
not.
In Riesing, U.S. Pat. No. 2,381,389, a shoe is formed with a
transparent or translucent bottom to which is attached colored
straps or ribbons for holding the shoe to the wearer's foot. The
patentee states that the straps or ribbons may be changed to those
of a different color in order to match the clothes of the
wearer.
Although the foregoing references describe efforts to change the
appearance of a pair of footwear, the footwear industry generally
has failed to suggest a way of quickly and inexpensively changing
the overall appearance of sneakers and other laced shoes. More
particularly, there has been a failure in the footwear industry to
suggest the desirability of providing transparent laced footwear,
and specifically transparent sneakers, the overall appearance of
which can be easily changed to reflect the whim and desire of the
wearer. There therefore exists a need for laced footwear, and
particularly transparent sneakers, which can be modified with
little effort to create an entirely different overall aesthetic
appearance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention addresses this need by providing an article
of footwear including a transparent upper and a sole connected to
the upper. Preferably, the sole is also formed from a transparent
material. The article of footwear further includes a tongue having
opposed front and back surfaces removably mounted to the upper in a
first position with the front surface facing away from the sole and
the back surface facing toward the sole. Non-transparent indicia
are formed on at least one of the front and back surfaces of the
tongue.
In a preferred embodiment, the article of footwear further includes
mounting means for removably mounting the tongue to the upper in
the first position and for removably mounting the tongue to the
upper in a second position in which the front surface faces toward
the sole and the back surface faces away from the sole. In this
preferred embodiment, a first non-transparent indicia may be formed
on the front surface of the tongue and a second non-transparent
indicia may be formed on the back surface of the tongue. The
non-transparent indicia formed on the front surface of the tongue
may be different from the non-transparent indicia formed on the
back surface of the tongue. Preferably, these non-transparent
indicia include different colors and/or different patterns.
In one variant, the mounting means may include a hook member
connected to an attachment end of the tongue and a receiving
aperture formed in the upper, the receiving aperture being sized
and shaped for removably receiving the hook member in assembled
position.
In another variant, the article of footwear includes a plurality of
opposed lacing eyelets formed on the upper and a lace threadedly
engaged therethrough, and the mounting means may include a first
pair of spaced apertures formed in an attachment end of the tongue
and a second pair of spaced apertures formed in the upper. In this
variant, threading the lace through the first and second pairs of
spaced apertures removably mounts the tongue to the upper.
In yet another variant, the article of footwear includes a
plurality of opposed lacing eyelets formed on the upper, a
receiving cavity formed in the upper at one end of the plurality of
opposed lacing eyelets and a lace threadedly engaged through the
plurality of opposed lacing eyelets. In accordance with this
variant, the mounting means may include a mounting member fixedly
connected to an attachment end of the tongue and receivable within
the receiving cavity in assembled position, the mounting member
including a pair of opposed extensions projecting outwardly from
the receiving cavity in the assembled position of the mounting
member.
In a more preferred embodiment, the article of footwear further
includes an insole removably arranged within the upper, the insole
having a top surface facing away from the sole and a bottom surface
facing toward the sole. Non-transparent indicia may be formed on at
least one of the top and bottom surfaces of the insole. In this
embodiment, the top surface of the insole may include third
non-transparent indicia and the bottom surface of the insole may
include fourth non-transparent indicia which may be different from
the third non-transparent indicia. In a particularly preferred
embodiment, the first indicia on the tongue is the same as the
fourth indicia on the insole and the second indicia on the tongue
is the same as the third indicia on the insole.
In still another embodiment, a lace having fifth indicia may be
threadedly engaged through a plurality of opposed lacing eyelets in
the upper. The fifth indicia preferably will be selected from the
group consisting of the first and second indicia.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a kit for
decorating an item of footwear having an upper and a sole connected
to the upper. In accordance with this aspect of the present
invention, the kit may include a tongue having first indicia formed
on a front surface and second indicia formed on a back surface, and
an insole having third indicia formed on a top surface and fourth
indicia formed on a bottom surface. Preferably, the first indicia
will be the same as the fourth indicia and the second indicia will
be the same as the third indicia. Still more preferably, the kit
may further include a lace having fifth indicia selected from the
group consisting of the first and second indicia.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A more complete appreciation of the subject matter of the present
invention and the various advantages thereof can be realized by
reference to the following detailed description, in which reference
is made to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the components of a single
item of footwear in accordance with the present invention in an
unassembled condition;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the item of footwear shown in FIG.
1 in the assembled condition, partially broken away to show the
interior thereof;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the item of footwear shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an exploded fragmentary view showing the attachment of
the tongue to the item of footwear in accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is an exploded fragmentary view showing the attachment of
the tongue to the item of footwear in accordance with another
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is an exploded fragmentary view showing the attachment of
the tongue to the item of footwear in accordance with yet another
embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a kit for decorating an item of
footwear in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the detailed description which follows, the features of the
present invention will be described as applied to a pair of
athletic shoes or sneakers. However, it will be appreciated that
the various features of the present invention may be readily
incorporated in other forms of footwear having tongues, including
casual shoes, dress shoes, oxfords and the like.
Referring to FIGS. 1-3, there is illustrated a preferred embodiment
of an item of footwear in the form of a sneaker, generally
designated as 10, in accordance with the present invention. The
sneaker 10 as illustrated is shaped to fit the right foot of the
wearer and is typically paired with another sneaker (not shown)
which is in all respects identical to, but a mirror image of
sneaker 10, and shaped to fit the left foot of the wearer. For
purposes of the present description, the construction of only right
sneaker 10 will be discussed in full detail below, each of the
features described in connection with right sneaker 10 also being
found on the left sneaker.
Sneaker 10 includes an upper portion 12 and a sole 14 which have a
generally conventional construction, but which are both formed from
a flexible transparent material, such as polyvinyl chloride.
Desirably, upper portion 12 and sole 14 will be formed from a
colorless transparent material, although transparent materials
which are tinted with a color may also be used. In a preferred
arrangement, upper 12 and sole 14 may be integrally formed as a
single unit in an injection molding process. Although sneaker 10 is
depicted in the figures as having a high-top style upper 12, it is
contemplated that sneaker 10 alternatively may be provided with an
upper 12 having a low-cut style.
The upper 12 includes a pair of opposed flaps 16 defining a throat
or opening 18 between the opposed edges 20 and 22 thereof. A
multiplicity of pairs of opposed lacing eyelets 24 are spaced
uniformly along the opposed edges 20 and 22 of the flaps 16
adjacent the throat 18. In normal use, a shoelace 26 is threaded
through the lacing eyelets 24 and enables the opposed edges 20 and
22 of the flaps 16 to be drawn together over the foot of the
wearer. In an alternate and less preferred arrangement, straps
including conventional hook and loop fasteners may be used rather
than laces to hold sneaker 10 in a closed condition about the
wearer's foot. Sneaker 10 optionally may be provided with a
plurality of apertures 30 on the side portions 32 and 34 and/or on
the toe portion 36 to permit air to circulate into and out from the
interior of the sneaker.
A tongue 40 is removably connected at one end to upper 12 of
sneaker 10 so that, in the assembled position, tongue 40 lies
beneath flaps 16 and within opening 18. Tongue 40 preferably has a
laminar construction consisting of a top layer 42 and a bottom
layer 44, with a layer of cushioning material (not shown)
interposed therebetween so that the tongue 40 will feel comfortable
against the wearer's foot. With tongue 40 assembled to upper 12,
top layer 42 will face away from sole 14 and bottom layer 44 will
face toward sole 14. Layers 42 and 44 are provided with
non-transparent indicia 48 and 50, respectively, which will be
clearly visible not only through the opening 18 between edges 20
and 22 of flaps 16, but also through the flaps themselves as a
result of the transparent material from which they are formed.
Indicia 48 and 50 may include, for example, a solid color, any type
of pattern such as polka-dots, stripes, checks, or plaid or paisley
patterns, or any other suitable design. Preferably, the indicia 48
on top layer 42 is different than the indicia 50 on bottom layer 44
so that, as described further below, the attachment of tongue 40 to
sneaker 10 may be reversed so that the indicia on the opposite side
of the tongue will be visible.
Sneaker 10 further includes a removable insole 60 which conforms
generally to the shape of sole 14 in a typical fashion. Insole 60
may have a conventional construction which preferably includes a
resilient material for cushioning the foot of the wearer. A top
surface 62 of insole 60 faces away from sole 14 when the insole is
assembled in sneaker 10 and a bottom surface 64 of insole 60 faces
toward sole 14 when the insole is in the assembled position. The
top surface 62 of insole 60 is provided with non-transparent
indicia 66 which is clearly visible through transparent upper 12
when sneaker 10 is not being worn. Non-transparent indicia 68 on
the bottom surface 64 of insole 60 will be visible through sole 14
when sneaker 10 is lifted from a supporting surface whether or not
sneaker 10 is being worn. Indicia 66 and 68 may include a solid
color or any suitable pattern or design, and may or may not be the
same as indicia 48 and 50 on tongue 40. Preferably, the indicia 66
on the top surface 62 of insole 60 will be different than the
indicia 68 on the bottom surface 64 so that, as a result of
exchanging the insoles between the sneakers in a pair of sneakers,
the indicia on the top and bottom surfaces of the insoles will be
reversed. More preferably, the indicia on one surface of insole 60
will be the same as the indicia on one surface of tongue 40, and
the indicia on the opposite surface of insole 60 will be the same
as the indicia on the other surface of tongue 40. In this regard, a
particularly appealing aesthetic effect is achieved when the
indicia 48 on the top layer 42 of tongue 40 is the same as or
coordinates with the indicia 68 on the bottom surface 64 of insole
60. The indicia 50 on the bottom layer 44 of tongue 40 will then be
the same as or coordinate with indicia 66 on the top surface 62 of
insole 60. Shoelace 26 also preferably includes non-transparent
indicia 70 in the form of a solid color or a suitable pattern or
design. Desirably, indicia 70 is the same as or coordinates with at
least one of indicia 48, 50, 66 or 68.
One method for removably mounting tongue 40 to upper 12 is
illustrated in FIG. 4. In accordance with this method, an
attachment end of tongue 40 is provided with a hook connector 70
which includes a first fully enclosed elongated slot 72 and a
second slot 74 defined by an arm 76 which is unconnected at a free
end 78 to define an opening 80. A loop of fabric 82 threaded
through enclosed slot 72 and sewn to the attachment end of tongue
40 secures hook connector 70 to the tongue. Preferably, the fabric
loop 82 includes one of the indicia on tongue 40 so as not to
detract from the overall appearance of sneaker 10. It is also
preferable to form hook connector 70 from a transparent material,
such as a rigid transparent polymer which is colorless or which is
tinted with the same transparent color as upper 12 so as to be
practically invisible when assembled to sneaker 10.
At the lower end of opening 18, an inverted, generally U-shaped
member 84 is integrally molded with or otherwise connected to upper
12 to define therethrough an elongated aperture 86. Tongue 40 may
be mounted to upper 12 by inserting the free end 78 of arm 76 into
aperture 86 from the end 88 of U-shaped member 84. When assembled
in this fashion, the indicia 48 on the top layer 42 of tongue 40
will face upwardly and will thus be visible to the observer. An
enlarged portion 90 formed on the free end 78 of arm 76 prevents
hook connector 70 from working free from aperture 86, although the
resilient nature of U-shaped member 84 will enable hook connector
70 to be removed from the aperture upon the application of force.
To change the appearance of sneaker 10, tongue 40 can be inverted
so that the indicia 50 on the bottom layer 44 of the tongue is
visible merely by disengaging hook connector 70 from the aperture
86 in U-shaped member 84, inverting tongue 40 and then re-inserting
the free end 78 of arm 76 into aperture 86 from the opposite end 92
of U-shaped member 84.
An alternate method for mounting tongue 40 to upper 12 so that
tongue 40 may be removed and remounted in an inverted position is
shown in FIG. 5. In this method, an insert 100 formed from a rigid
or semi-rigid material and secured to the attachment end of tongue
40 includes a pair of opposed extensions 102 and 104. With tongue
40 mounted to upper 12, insert 100 resides within an enlarged
cutout 106 (FIG. 1) at the lower end of opening 18 with extensions
102 and 104 extending out from cutout 106 and over the top of upper
12 such that edges 102a and 104a of extensions 102 and 104 engage
the lower ends of flaps 16. A notch 108 formed in the edge of
insert 100 is sized and shaped to receive U-shaped member 84 and to
locate tongue 40 in an appropriate position with respect to the
opening 18 in upper 12. The material for forming insert 100 is
preferably sufficiently rigid that the extensions 102 and 104 will
deform only minimally and inconsequentially as the tongue 40 is
pulled away from toe portion 36 for inserting the wearer's foot
into sneaker 10. In this regard, insert 100 is preferably formed
from a colorless transparent material or a transparent material
which is tinted with the same color as upper 12 so as to not affect
sneaker 10 aesthetically. Alternatively, insert 100 may be formed
from a non-transparent material which is inserted between top layer
42 and bottom layer 44 of tongue 40 or which includes at least one
of the indicia on tongue 40 so as to present a uniform, coordinated
appearance.
Once tongue 40 has been mounted to upper 12 by the engagement of
extensions 102 and 104 with the lower ends of flaps 16, it is held
in place with respect thereto by threading shoelace 26 through
aperture 86 in U-shaped member 84 and then through lacing eyelets
24 so that a portion of shoelace 26 lies over extensions 102 and
104. As shoelace 26 is tightened to draw the opposed edges 20 and
22 of flaps 16 toward one another, the portion of shoelace 26
overlying extensions 102 and 104 will hold tongue 40 against upper
12 in assembled position. The indicia on the opposite side of
tongue 40 can be displayed merely by removing shoelace 26 from
lacing eyelets 24, inverting tongue 40 and rethreading shoelace 26
through the lacing eyelets so that a portion of shoelace 26 lies
over extensions 102 and 104.
Yet another method for reversibly mounting tongue 40 to upper 12 is
shown in FIG. 6. In accordance with this method, upper 12 is not
provided with a U-shaped member 84, and tongue 40 does not include
either a rigid or semi-rigid insert 100 or a hook connector 70.
Rather, the portion of upper 12 at the lower end of opening 18 is
provided with a pair of spaced apertures or eyelets 110, and the
attachment end of tongue 40 is provided with a pair of similarly
spaced apertures or eyelets 112. Before threading shoelace 26
through eyelets 24, the shoelace is first threaded through eyelets
110 and the corresponding eyelets 112 in tongue 40 which not only
positions the tongue with respect to upper 12, but which also
connects these members to one another in a removable fashion. The
shoelace 26 may then be threaded through eyelets 24 in a
conventional fashion and tightened to draw the opposed edges 20 and
22 of flaps 16 toward one another over the foot of the wearer. By
removing the shoelace 26 from lacing eyelets 24 and eyelets 110 and
112, tongue 40 can be inverted and then remounted to sneaker 10 to
display the indicia on the opposite side thereof.
The overall appearance of sneaker 10 can be changed not only by
reversing tongue 40 and insole 60 to display the indicia on the
opposite sides thereof, but also by removing either the tongue,
insole or both and replacing same with another having entirely
different indicia. Further, the shoelace 26 can also be removed and
replaced with a shoelace having different indicia which coordinate
with the indicia on the new tongue and insole. Thus, for example,
on one occasion a wearer may desire sneaker 10 to have a somewhat
formal look wherein sneaker 10 is fitted with a tongue 40 and an
insole 60 in which indicia 48 and 68 are a solid black color or
black design and indicia 50 and 66 are a solid white color or white
design, and a shoelace 26 in which indicia 70 is a solid black
color or pattern, a solid white color or pattern or a pattern
comprising both black and white. On another occasion, the wearer
may desire sneaker 10 to have a more casual look. To achieve this
more casual look, the wearer simply has to remove the tongue 40,
insole 60 and shoelace 26 and replace them with similar components
having different indicia; i.e., for example, a tongue 40 and insole
60 in which indicia 48 and 68 are a predominantly red plaid and
indicia 50 and 66 are a predominantly blue paisley, and a shoelace
26 in which indicia 70 is a predominantly red plaid, a
predominantly blue paisley, or some other coordinating indicia
including red and/or blue. These components can thus be made
available with different indicia in convenient packages 99
consisting of two tongues 40, two insoles 60 (one right insole and
one left insole), and two shoelaces 26 so that a wearer may select
a package 99 of components having indicia which coordinate with a
particular outfit.
Although the invention herein has been described with reference to
particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these
embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and
applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be
understood that numerous modifications may be made to the
illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised
without departing from the spirit and scope of the present
invention as defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *